Timing (for anyone looking for a specific song): The Road Goes Ever On 41:25 Upon The Hearth The Fire Is Red 42:43 In The Willow-Meads Of Tasarinan 44:44 In Western Lands 47:56 Namárië 49:42 I Sit Beside The Fire / Refrain: A Elbereth Gilthoniel 52:28 Errantry 56:16 Bilbo's Last Song 1:01:53 Lúthien Tinúviel 1:06:12
Stumbled across this recording far too late at night but ended up listening to it all ... As someone has loved both Flanders & Swann and Tolkein's Middle Earth since my early teens at least; I have owned a recording of the Song Cycle on vinyl from I think my late teens, or possibly early twenties, and the published music score since, looking at the date I wrote on the fly-leaf, 21 April 1978 [I wrote my name, the month of the date, and a further comment (which might actually be "Happy Birthday" as it's close enough to my 19th Birthday to tie in with the dates) in an elvish script and my transliteration skills are somewhat rusty as that is well over 40 years ago]. Thank you, Wade Center, for releasing this video onto You Tube and to Dr Leonberger for his lecture and to him and Dr(?) Phemister for their performance. ... Sorry, elderly Istari waffling on...
A huge "Thank You!" to the talented Richard Leonberger for providing us with his lecture and wonderful song performance accompanied by the ever talented Bill Phemister. Thank you also to the Marion E. Wade Center for presenting such a high quality production here on RUclips. I never realized that the Donald Swann, who composed this song cycle, was the same Donald Swann of Swann & Flanders! Donald Swann's musical settings of Tolkien's poetry are no less than brilliant. Richard Leonberger and Bill Phemister have provided an excellent performance here. It is very hard to pick a favorite among the songs - but I must say that my personal favorite was "I Sit Beside the Fire and Think". "Errantry" is a lot of fun and definitely has that fun sort of tone that reminds one of a Gilbert & Sullivan "patter" song. "Namárië" shows an amazing understanding of the ancient tone one would expect of an Elven Quenya song as well as the mood running through Galadriel's mind in the text. "Bilbo's Last Song" is a fine farewell to Middle Earth. Thanks again to the Wade Center and the Wheaton College Tolkien Society for co-sponsoring this lecture and musical production.
I was delighted to find this. When I was a child my mother gave me the Donald Swann / William Elvin record - when I had finished reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I guess. These songs have been in the back of my mind ever since, though I never really thought about them much, nor have I remained a particular fan of Tolkien's work or of Middle Earth. I came across this quite by accident, when a search for a different song led me to Donald Swann (whom I had not otherwise heard of). It is lovely. Richard Leonberger has a wonderful voice, and I was happy to learn something about all of the people involved in creating this song cycle. Indeed, I did not know that a "song cycle" was an entity, nor that this was one - I suppose my knowledge is limited in all sorts of ways! Thank you.
1:01:50 Many settings of "Bilbo's Last Song" present the text as a dirge. Many listeners praise the dirges as true to Tolkien's intentions and dismiss Swann's setting as fit only for music hall revues. I disagree completely; Swann's setting seems a joyful and optimistic anticipation of the afterlife in keeping with Tolkien's Catholic faith. When my Mother passed in 2014, our family met at the home where she grew up to scatter her ashes in her favorite fishing hole. I played Swann's performance of "Bilbo's Last Song" at the gathering in the house, along with a recording of a choral setting (by whom I have forgotten) of Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar." On the whole, I consider Swann to be the last great British composer of art songs, in the same pantheon as Finzi and Butterworth. Thank you for posting this wonderful commentary and performance of the song cycle. By the way, Mom worked for Houghton Mifflin Company, Tolkien's US publisher, and gave me a copy of the second edition for Christmas in 1978.
You are correct about Bilbo's Last Song. It is far closer in tone to Tolkien''s outlook on the afterlife. Thats not to criticise Stephen Oliver's version which is beautiful. Its just this version is better.
It interesting that people would dismiss Sawnn's version, when he is, asfsr as I know, the only composer to have sat down with the Professor himself. This was a collaborative work with Tolkien, so it's probably the most accurate one can get.
Donald Swann, according to various sources, wrote between 600 and 2,000 (?) songs. A good selection has been recorded by Hyperion with various singers, an unmissable set (2CDs), which, however, includes only Bilbo's Last Song of the 9 songs presented here, so it's great to hear the others in this recording. Very nicely done but nul point for the videoist: why cut out the pianist?! Thanks for posting.
Really, I think 'Errantry' should be the last song, notwithstanding the addition of Bilbo's Last Song and Lúthien Tinúviel. As the lecture stated, it is an upbeat and cheerful finish; but also, it finishes the song cycle by recalling the initial Road Goes Ever On (and Elbereth Gilthoniel) melody at the end. In such a rearrangement, perhaps Lúthien could be moved before Bilbo's Last Song, which would have somewhat better continuity of subject to 'Errantry'. But this is a great rendition. A studio recording might have some commercial potential.
My view is that it would be best to perform the cycle as originally written, with 'Bilbo's Last Song' as an encore. 'Lúthien Tinúviel' may come from the same legendarium, but otherwise it is completely separate: it has nothing to do with the theme of the rest, of journeying.
A tenor - doing a song cycle originally written for a baritone?! (that in the original key, never goes above an E natural?) That's really quite cheeky- sort of like women doing Schwanengesang these days. Yeah, you can transpose, but... Singing begins at 41 mins. At least the voice is pleasant to listen to. But I would frankly have preferred Britten instead, with a voice such as this, doing rep written for your Fach.
Timing (for anyone looking for a specific song):
The Road Goes Ever On 41:25
Upon The Hearth The Fire Is Red 42:43
In The Willow-Meads Of Tasarinan 44:44
In Western Lands 47:56
Namárië 49:42
I Sit Beside The Fire / Refrain: A Elbereth Gilthoniel 52:28
Errantry 56:16
Bilbo's Last Song 1:01:53
Lúthien Tinúviel 1:06:12
Thanks! Very helpful!
Thank you.
54:51 is A Elbereth Gilthoniel
Stumbled across this recording far too late at night but ended up listening to it all ...
As someone has loved both Flanders & Swann and Tolkein's Middle Earth since my early teens at least; I have owned a recording of the Song Cycle on vinyl from I think my late teens, or possibly early twenties, and the published music score since, looking at the date I wrote on the fly-leaf, 21 April 1978 [I wrote my name, the month of the date, and a further comment (which might actually be "Happy Birthday" as it's close enough to my 19th Birthday to tie in with the dates) in an elvish script and my transliteration skills are somewhat rusty as that is well over 40 years ago].
Thank you, Wade Center, for releasing this video onto You Tube and to Dr Leonberger for his lecture and to him and Dr(?) Phemister for their performance.
...
Sorry, elderly Istari waffling on...
Now I really want to track down the sheet music for both Bilbo's Last Song and Luthien Tinuviel...
Beautiful singing. The Road Goes Ever On is a great song.
A huge "Thank You!" to the talented Richard Leonberger for providing us with his lecture and wonderful song performance accompanied by the ever talented Bill Phemister. Thank you also to the Marion E. Wade Center for presenting such a high quality production here on RUclips. I never realized that the Donald Swann, who composed this song cycle, was the same Donald Swann of Swann & Flanders! Donald Swann's musical settings of Tolkien's poetry are no less than brilliant.
Richard Leonberger and Bill Phemister have provided an excellent performance here. It is very hard to pick a favorite among the songs - but I must say that my personal favorite was "I Sit Beside the Fire and Think". "Errantry" is a lot of fun and definitely has that fun sort of tone that reminds one of a Gilbert & Sullivan "patter" song. "Namárië" shows an amazing understanding of the ancient tone one would expect of an Elven Quenya song as well as the mood running through Galadriel's mind in the text. "Bilbo's Last Song" is a fine farewell to Middle Earth.
Thanks again to the Wade Center and the Wheaton College Tolkien Society for co-sponsoring this lecture and musical production.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I was delighted to find this. When I was a child my mother gave me the Donald Swann / William Elvin record - when I had finished reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I guess. These songs have been in the back of my mind ever since, though I never really thought about them much, nor have I remained a particular fan of Tolkien's work or of Middle Earth. I came across this quite by accident, when a search for a different song led me to Donald Swann (whom I had not otherwise heard of). It is lovely. Richard Leonberger has a wonderful voice, and I was happy to learn something about all of the people involved in creating this song cycle. Indeed, I did not know that a "song cycle" was an entity, nor that this was one - I suppose my knowledge is limited in all sorts of ways! Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for sharing your memories.
This cannot be praised enough. Wow. I am truly touched by this performance.
1:01:50 Many settings of "Bilbo's Last Song" present the text as a dirge. Many listeners praise the dirges as true to Tolkien's intentions and dismiss Swann's setting as fit only for music hall revues. I disagree completely; Swann's setting seems a joyful and optimistic anticipation of the afterlife in keeping with Tolkien's Catholic faith. When my Mother passed in 2014, our family met at the home where she grew up to scatter her ashes in her favorite fishing hole. I played Swann's performance of "Bilbo's Last Song" at the gathering in the house, along with a recording of a choral setting (by whom I have forgotten) of Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar." On the whole, I consider Swann to be the last great British composer of art songs, in the same pantheon as Finzi and Butterworth. Thank you for posting this wonderful commentary and performance of the song cycle. By the way, Mom worked for Houghton Mifflin Company, Tolkien's US publisher, and gave me a copy of the second edition for Christmas in 1978.
You are correct about Bilbo's Last Song. It is far closer in tone to Tolkien''s outlook on the afterlife. Thats not to criticise Stephen Oliver's version which is beautiful. Its just this version is better.
It interesting that people would dismiss Sawnn's version, when he is, asfsr as I know, the only composer to have sat down with the Professor himself. This was a collaborative work with Tolkien, so it's probably the most accurate one can get.
Ive listened to Bilbo's Last Song many times over the past few weeks. Its incredibly moving
Namárië Sir Ian Holm
Wonderful, simply wonderful.
Donald Swann, according to various sources, wrote between 600 and 2,000 (?) songs. A good selection has been recorded by Hyperion with various singers, an unmissable set (2CDs), which, however, includes only Bilbo's Last Song of the 9 songs presented here, so it's great to hear the others in this recording. Very nicely done but nul point for the videoist: why cut out the pianist?! Thanks for posting.
Bilbo's Last Song is really amazing.
"Donald Swan was born in Llanelly, Wales", spoken without a missed beat lmaoo
Really, I think 'Errantry' should be the last song, notwithstanding the addition of Bilbo's Last Song and Lúthien Tinúviel. As the lecture stated, it is an upbeat and cheerful finish; but also, it finishes the song cycle by recalling the initial Road Goes Ever On (and Elbereth Gilthoniel) melody at the end. In such a rearrangement, perhaps Lúthien could be moved before Bilbo's Last Song, which would have somewhat better continuity of subject to 'Errantry'.
But this is a great rendition. A studio recording might have some commercial potential.
My view is that it would be best to perform the cycle as originally written, with 'Bilbo's Last Song' as an encore. 'Lúthien Tinúviel' may come from the same legendarium, but otherwise it is completely separate: it has nothing to do with the theme of the rest, of journeying.
Barrel oven
A tenor - doing a song cycle originally written for a baritone?! (that in the original key, never goes above an E natural?) That's really quite cheeky- sort of like women doing Schwanengesang these days. Yeah, you can transpose, but... Singing begins at 41 mins. At least the voice is pleasant to listen to. But I would frankly have preferred Britten instead, with a voice such as this, doing rep written for your Fach.
@@truesoundchris You're confusing equal temperament with gender. Who's the uneducated idiot now?